HRC "Memorial" appeals to ECtHR to challenge fines for publications

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has accepted the complaint lodged by the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" and Alexander Cherkasov about the fines imposed after an inspection by the Ingush FSB Department, human rights defenders report.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 27, Alexander Cherkasov, the chairman of the Board of the HRC "Memorial", used raised donations to pay three fines of 100,000 roubles each, imposed after the inspection by the Ingush FSB Department for the absence of a "foreign agent label" in publications. On the same day, the HRC "Memorial" promised to lodge to the ECtHR a complaint about the decisions on fines imposed by Russian courts.

The HRC "Memorial" and Alexander Cherkasov appealed with a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights. In their complaint, the human rights defenders claim that the fines paid over the past year under the Law "On foreign agents" violate the rights guaranteed by Article 10 (freedom of expression), Article 11 (freedom of assembly), Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination), and Article 18 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the press service for the HRC "Memorial" reports.

"The complaint is already at the Strasbourg Court, and a delivery notice has been received," the HRC "Memorial" reports on its official website.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 7, 2020 at 12:59 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.